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Category: General

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest General Retail news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Google Messages rolls out custom RCS conversation color themes more widely

    Google Messages rolls out custom RCS conversation color themes more widely

    Back in November, Google announced some new features for its Messages app as part of its celebration of reaching the one billion monthly active RCS users milestone. Many of these promised features, such as animated emoji, Photomoji, and screen effects, have already been rolled out to users. However, one feature has taken quite a while to roll out widely: custom themes.

    Custom themes were announced as a customization feature allowing users to change the bubble and background colors of individual conversations. Presumably, this feature was to help eliminate the limitations of blue versus green bubbles and to aid users with differentiating conversations.

    It appears that this feature is currently receiving a wider rollout. Although some users started seeing this option with the latest version of the Google Messages app in beta (v20240308), I received the update myself without updating my app (still in beta version 20240228), suggesting that this is a server-side push.

    To check if the feature is available to you, you will first make sure you are in an RCS chat, as this feature does not work with SMS/MMS conversations. Once inside any chat thread, tap on the three dot menu and select “Change colors.” This will then open the UI for changing themes, showing you all the color options available, including the default.

    It should be noted that this works slightly differently on Pixel devices that use Material You dynamic theming. When I tested on a Pixel, the theme affected the conversation’s background and the bubble color. On a Samsung Galaxy device, though, it only altered the bubble color.

    Additionally, when you successfully change the theme, you receive a small notification at the bottom that reads “You changed the theme,” which also gives you a quick shortcut to change the theme again. Happy theming!

  • Indonesia to investigate Batik Air after pilots fall asleep mid-flight for 28 minutes

    Indonesia to investigate Batik Air after pilots fall asleep mid-flight for 28 minutes

    Indonesia’s transport ministry said Saturday it would open a probe into local airline Batik Air after two of its pilots were found to have fallen asleep during a recent flight.

    A pilot and co-pilot were simultaneously asleep for approximately 28 minutes during a flight from South East Sulawesi to the capital Jakarta on January 25, a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) said.

    The incident resulted in a series of navigation errors, but the Airbus A320’s 153 passengers and four flight attendants were unharmed during the two-hour-and-35-minute flight.

    The transport ministry “strongly reprimands” Batik Air over the incident, air transport director-general M. Kristi Endah Murni said, calling on airlines to pay more attention to their air crew’s rest time.

    “We will carry out an investigation and review of the night flight operation in Indonesia related with Fatigue Risk Management for Batik Air and all flight operators,” Kristi said in a statement.

    Batik Air said in a statement on Saturday that it “operates with adequate rest policy” and that it was “committed to implement all safety recommendations”.

    The pilots involved in the January 25 incident had been temporarily suspended, the statement added.

    The KNKT report, seen by AFP on Friday, was uploaded to the agency’s website in late February.

    One of the pilots had not rested adequately on the night before the flight, according to the report.

    About half an hour after the plane took off, the captain asked permission from his second-in-command to rest for a while, with the request being granted.

    The co-pilot then took over command of the aircraft, but also inadvertently fell asleep, the report said.

    “The second-in-command had one-month twin babies. His wife took care of the babies and he assisted while at home,” the report said.

    A few minutes after the last recorded transmission by the co-pilot, the area control center in Jakarta tried to contact the aircraft. It received no answer.

    Twenty-eight minutes after the last recorded transmission, the pilot woke up and realized his co-pilot was asleep and that the aircraft was not on the correct flight path.

    He immediately woke his colleague up, responded to the calls from Jakarta and corrected the flight path, the report said.

    The plane landed safely after the incident. Investigators did not identify the pilots, but said they were both Indonesians and were aged 32 and 28.

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  • Apple to add new accessibility features to the iPhone with iOS 18

    Apple to add new accessibility features to the iPhone with iOS 18

    We already know that iOS 18 is going to be one of the biggest updates in Apple’s history. New AI features including a revised Siri have many iPhone users looking forward to June when Apple previews iOS 18 during WWDC 2024. Other changes will be coming to the operating system’s accessibility features. These are features designed for those with “vision, mobility, hearing, speech, and cognitive needs” and can be found in the Accessibility app.

    MacRumors spoke with industry sources who told them about some new accessibility features expected to be added to iOS 18. Traditionally, these are announced before WWDC which makes it quite possible that Apple is wrapping up the development of these new features now which could be why they have leaked at this point in time.

    Voice Shortcuts would allow an iPhone user to connect a phrase to start a particular accessibility feature. Unlike Siri Shortcuts, no wake phrase, such as “Hey Siri,” would need to be spoken first. The rumor says that Voice Shortcuts would work with accessibility features such as VoiceOver and Voice Control. The former reads the content on an iPhone, while the latter allows you to use vocal commands to “perform gestures, interact with screen elements, dictate and edit text, and more.”

    Another change will have Apple adding font size control throughout the system. Currently, users can change the font size of an app but only if this is supported by the app, and some of Apple’s system apps do not offer such support; all of them will in iOS 18. The company also previously announced Personal Voice for Live Speech which uses AI to create a digital version of a user’s voice after running through 15 minutes of “training” with often-used phrases recorded. If someone has a disease that will cost them their speech, this feature will allow them to “talk” once he/she can no longer do so.

    We should see iOS 18 released this coming September.

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  • WhatsApp calls log could soon be integrated into Google’s Phone app

    WhatsApp calls log could soon be integrated into Google’s Phone app

    Staying connected with friends and family on WhatsApp is about to get even easier as the popular messaging app looks to integrate call logs with Google’s native Phone app on Android. This change would put WhatsApp’s voice and video calls on equal footing with regular phone calls, allowing you to see all your call history in one place.

    Currently, WhatsApp calls only show up within the app itself. This upcoming integration would streamline the process, especially if you primarily use WhatsApp for calls. The fact that @Kishore9196 on X noticed this suggests that the feature might already be rolling out in a limited beta test.

    In the screenshot provided, you can see WhatsApp calls appearing within the Google Phone app’s call log, conveniently marked with a “WhatsApp” tag to differentiate them from standard cell carrier calls. Once the feature is fully rolled out, it would make sense if tapping on one of these entries would give you the option to quickly initiate another WhatsApp call with that contact. It’s also likely that this integration won’t be limited to just WhatsApp, as other VoIP apps such as Telegram could follow suit as well, giving you a unified call log experience on your Android phone.

    However, this feature isn’t entirely new. As the source pointed out, iOS already has this feature, which displays third-party VoIP calls in the iPhone’s native call history. Android users have been missing out on this convenience, although hopefully not for much longer.

    Having this kind of interconnectivity between apps is a benefit that European users will soon enjoy in more areas, such as messaging, as the DMCA has ordered. Because of this, WhatsApp will also have the added benefit of including other messaging platforms within its own app, bringing about cross-platform usability. This is not to say that the integrated call log on the Phone app is a result of this, but it is a nice touch so that users won’t have to switch back and forth between apps as often.

    This change will be a welcomed quality-of-life improvement for those who regularly use WhatsApp for calling. With the seamless integration of your call logs, staying connected within WhatsApp is about to get a whole lot smoother.

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  • Steelmaker Hoa Phat’s sales surge 32% in two months

    Steelmaker Hoa Phat’s sales surge 32% in two months

    Vietnamese steel giant Hoa Phat Group saw a 32% rise in sales volume of steel products in the first two months of this year, the firm reported.

    In the January-February period, Hoa Phat sold 1.15 million tonnes of hot rolled steel products (HRC), construction steel, high quality steel and steel billets. Meanwhile, the firm produced 1.38 tonnes of crude steel, an increase of 71% over the same period last year.

    However, in February, the firm saw a considerable drop in steel sales volume compared to that in January, mostly due to the long Lunar New Year holiday. In the month, Hoa Phat produced 690,000 tonnes of crude steel, a similar output as January.

    In the month, its sales volume of hot rolled steel products, construction steel, high quality steel and steel billets was 518,000 tonnes, down 19% compared to the first month of the year.

    Meanwhile, the firm sold 212,000 tonnes of construction steel and high quality steel, down 42% compared to January, along with 266,000 tonnes of HRC products, 41,000 tonnes of steel pipes, and 32,000 tonnes of galvanized steel.

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  • Singapore retail sales down in January

    Singapore retail sales down in January

    Singapore retail sales – after excluding motor vehicles from the data – dropped 2.1 percent year-on-year in January, following the 2.8 percent decrease in December.

    According to the Department of Statistics, January retail sales edged up 0.5 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis compared to the previous month.

    The estimated total retail sales value was SG$3.7 billion (US$2.75 billion), of which 12.9 percent was online.

    There were mixed performances within the retail trade sector, highlighted by an 11.8 percent decline in sales of wearing apparel and footwear. Supermarkets and hypermarkets and recreational goods recorded decreases of 6.5 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively.

    Meanwhile, sales of food and alcohol and watches and jewelry increased by 8.5 percent and 5.3 percent, respectively.

    Sales of food and beverage services fell 5.6 percent in January, following the 0.4 percent growth in December. The lower sales were partly attributed to the Chinese New Year being celebrated at the end of January 2023 rather than in February this year.

    The total sales value of F&B services was estimated at SG$ 942 million (US$700 million), of which 23.1 percent was from online sales.

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  • Vietnam encourages Australian airlines to establish routes to its cities

    Vietnam encourages Australian airlines to establish routes to its cities

    The Vietnamese Government creates favourable conditions for airlines to develop and compete healthily, and encourages Australian carriers to fly to Vietnam, according to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

    This statement was made during a ceremony commemorating 30 years of direct air travel between Vietnam and Australia in Melbourne city on Tuesday morning. The event was part of activities in the Prime Minister’s trip to attend the ASEAN – Australia Special Summit and his official visit to Australia.

    He expressed his hope that Vietnam’s airlines will cooperate and compete fairly, especially in the current context – when the two countries will upgrade to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

    Currently, Vietnamese airlines do not use domestically trained pilots, engineers, and mechanics, so he hoped Australia to support the training of pilots, mechanics, aviation managers.

    He also urged Australian banks, investment funds, and investors to invest indirectly in Vietnamese airlines, saying that the Vietnamese ministries and sectors will strengthen their role in state management, remove difficulties, and proactively support airlines to overcome challenges and promote rapid and sustainable development.

    The PM took the occasion to thank Australia, specifically Australian citizens who choose Vietnamese airlines such as Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet, to visit Vietnam, saying that this has contributed to boosting cultural connections and aviation economic development of the two countries.

    Vietnam Airlines has been strengthening cooperation with partners in Australia to develop products and diversify services, thereby continuously bringing benefits to passengers.

    It has paid attention to coordinating with agencies, travel companies and Australian partners to strengthen tourism promotion and promote destinations of both countries.

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  • Meta’s Facebook, Instagram down for hundreds of thousands of users across globe

    Meta’s Facebook, Instagram down for hundreds of thousands of users across globe

    Meta Platforms-owned Facebook and Instagram were down for hundreds of thousands of users across the globe on Tuesday, according to outage tracking website Downdetector.com.

    The disruptions started around 10:00 am ET, with more than 300,000 reports of outages for Facebook and about 40,000 reports for Instagram, according to the website.

    “We’re aware people are having trouble accessing our services. We are working on this now,” Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said in a post on X social media.

    Meta’s status dashboard showed the application programming interface for WhatsApp Business was also facing issues. There were around 200 reports of outages for WhatsApp on Downdetector, which tracks outages by collating status reports from several sources, including users.

    The outage was among the top trending topics on X, formerly Twitter, with several users saying they had suddenly been logged out of the Meta-owned social media platforms.

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  • Comparing Malaysia’s Gambling Scene to the Rest of Southeast Asia

    Comparing Malaysia’s Gambling Scene to the Rest of Southeast Asia

    Southeast Asia is home to many traditional, conservative countries, meaning their stances toward gambling are a bit sterner than those of most countries in the Western hemisphere. However, this region is far from homogenous. The situation differs from country to country, while online and offshore gambling are a story of their own. 

    Still, where does Malaysia fit into all this? Perhaps even more importantly, how does it fare against some of its neighbors regarding the gambling scene?

    source

    What form of gambling is legal in Malaysia?

    The only legal forms of gambling in Malaysia are betting on horse races (since 1961) and playing lotteries (since 1952). Sports betting, however, is illegal (both retail and online).

    Now, while online sites are illegal as long as they’re hosted in Malaysia, locals are not prohibited from offshore betting. For instance, a Malaysian can choose some of the apps in this list and legally play one of many typical casino games online or bet on their favourite sporting events. 

    The same thing goes for the majority of countries in Southeast Asia, with a few exceptions. For instance, in Singapore, there’s a sort of state monopoly on online betting, while in the Philippines, everything is legal.

    Overall, online betting is hard to regulate, so local authorities usually ignore offshore betting, making it a very popular option.  

    Casinos

    While betting is mostly illegal in Malaysia, casinos are regulated (under some rules that we’ll discuss later). So, it’s home to Genting Resort Malaysia. Sure, it’s just this one casino, but it’s a behemoth with over 3,000 slot machines and over 400 gaming tables. 

    In fact, in the whole of South East Asia, there are only three countries that directly ban casinos:

    • Thailand
    • Indonesia
    • Brunei

    Given the royal family’s proclivity for gambling, some find the last part particularly interesting. 

    In Laos, casinos are legal in special economic zones only. Still, locals are not accepted. The same thing goes for betting, in general.

    Also, remember that Southeast Asia is relatively close to Macau (the Vegas of the East). Needless to say, it’s hard for anyone to deal with such competition in gambling.

    Is Malaysia a popular destination for gamblers?

    Not exactly!

    As we’ve already explained, outside of one casino (albeit gigantic) and the national lottery, there’s not much legal gambling in Malaysia.

    Tourists who are interested in gambling destinations in Southeast Asia are more likely to visit:

    • Sihanoukville in Cambodia
    • Entertainment City in the Philippines

    While it’s hard to pinpoint the exact numbers (due to flawed methodology), it’s widely believed that these two countries have the region’s highest number of gamblers per capita. Now, there’s a reason why this is so hard to determine. Namely, in most countries in Southeast Asia, gambling is illegal for locals either way. So, it’s hard to find someone who openly admits (even anonymously) that they’ve partaken in this activity.

    For instance, in Cambodia, while casinos are regulated, all other forms of gambling are illegal. Moreover, betting in these casinos is only legal for visitors, while locals are not accepted.

    Most countries in Southeast Asia have similar rules where they regulate casinos but don’t allow locals. In Malaysia, for instance, while casinos are regulated, Muslims are prohibited from participating. In this scenario, the prohibition is based on one’s religion, not regionality. 

  • First signs of WhatsApp third party chat support appear in latest beta

    First signs of WhatsApp third party chat support appear in latest beta

    WhatsApp, the popular messaging app, is gearing up to open its doors to other messaging platforms. This has been in the works for some time now, but thanks to some evidence found in the latest beta version of the app, we now have more information on how the feature will work and how far along it is in its progress.

    The need for WhatsApp to add this functionality comes in direct response to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), which aims to break down barriers between tech giants and increase competition in the digital space. WhatsApp’s upcoming “chat interoperability” feature will allow users in the European Union to connect with contacts across different messaging apps, even if those contacts don’t use WhatsApp themselves.

    Wabetainfo discovered the feature, which is currently in development and not available to users, in WhatsApp Android beta version 2.24.5.18. As per the screenshot uncovered (shown below), a new section will be introduced to the app. There, users can choose to enable interoperability, granting them the power to exchange messages beyond WhatsApp’s ecosystem seamlessly.

    While end-to-end encryption will be maintained, different messaging apps may use varying encryption protocols, leading to a separate inbox for these external chats. Because of this, WhatsApp is advising users to exercise caution when using chat interoperability.

    In addition to encryption compatibility concerns, cross-platform communication could potentially increase exposure to spam and scams. Every app has its own privacy policies, potentially handling your data differently than WhatsApp would.

    Regardless of these hurdles to overcome, this move by WhatsApp is a major win for consumers in the EU. It promotes greater choice and flexibility in how they connect with others online.

    It is unknown whether these app changes will apply globally or only in the EU. However, while the feature is completely optional, it signifies a positive shift towards interconnectedness in the messaging app landscape.

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  • Vietnam Airlines to ground 12 planes for maintenance

    Vietnam Airlines to ground 12 planes for maintenance

    Vietnam Airlines has to ground 12 A321 aircraft, representing 20% of its domestic fleet, for up to 300 days due to engine issues, as supply chain disruptions have doubled the maintenance time, its CEO said.

    Le Hong Ha said engine issues are plaguing over 3,500 A321/A320neo aircraft worldwide with Pratt & Whitney engines.

    Vietnam Airlines uses 24 of the engines, he said Thursday on the sidelines of the 2024 International Airline Symposium in Hanoi.

    The engine problems have also impacted Vietnam Airlines’ Airbus A350 aircraft, he added.

    The problem is caused by a rare condition in the powder metal used to manufacture certain engine parts, a concern flagged by Pratt & Whitney in July 2023 as affecting engines produced between October 2015 and September 2021.

    This has caused numerous airlines globally to ground or inspect their aircraft.

    Budget carrier Vietjet may also have fleet trouble due to the engine issues.

    A shortage of aircraft has been partly blamed for the recent jump in domestic airfares, which is turning passengers away.

    Before and after the Lunar New Year holidays airlines carried 13% fewer passengers than last year.

    But Ha pointed out that Vietnam is among the few countries still capping airfares, adding the ceilings should be scrapped in future.

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  • Google Photos adding option to tailor your memories based on your activity

    Google Photos adding option to tailor your memories based on your activity

    Google Photos is adding another feature intended to make your cherished memories more easily accessible and enjoyable. In addition to the recently expanded rollout of automatic Stacks (which organize similar photos together), Google has unveiled a new setting called “Activity-based personalization.” This powerful feature enhances the app’s “Memories” section.

    The “Memories” section, which you might recognize as that carousel of photos and videos at the top of the Google Photos app, can now be set to learn from your actions within it. Activity-based personalization learns about the way you engage with Memories — those you linger on and those you may skip — and uses that information to make them more relevant.

    Activity-based personalization is by default enabled, ensuring that you get the most out of Memories right away. However, you can easily disable this setting at any time. If you do, data about your Memories interactions from the last 18 months will be deleted. Don’t worry, though; this won’t affect your photo library, other Memories, or the Creations that Google Photos generates.

    For now, it appears that setting can only be accessed from the web version of Google Photos, although it isn’t appearing for everyone yet. That said, the Memories carousel is present on both the web and mobile (Android and iOS) versions of the app, so whatever setting you choose for it will affect your experience throughout.

    To check if the feature has rolled out to you and to tweak it, you’ll need to head to photos.google.com on your computer, then click on “Settings” at the top right of the page. From there, you’ll need to scroll down to the “Memories” sub-section to find the “Activity-based personalization” toggle, which should be grouped with the “Time-based memories” and “Themed memories” toggles for featured memories.

    Google Photos is a great app for backing up and enjoying photos and videos, and this new feature joins a range of options already available to personalize your experience. It’s great to see that the app continues to get better and offer more options to those who choose it as the keeper of their previous memories.

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  • Google Contacts could soon get a home screen widget that displays text messages

    Google Contacts could soon get a home screen widget that displays text messages

    Aside from the occasionally added new functionality, Google Contacts isn’t an app that is known for getting frequent updates. However, there is one update that is possibly on the way, which will add a nifty new home screen widget and a fresh user interface.

    By flipping a few developer flags in the app’s version 4.26, @AssembleDebug from TheSPAndroid was able to identify these changes. While these features are currently in the testing phase and there is no timeline currently available for deployment, we can get a sneak peek at what was found hidden in the code.

    The first noticeable change is the design change on the main Contacts screen. The familiar phone, email, and company icons will now be tucked away behind a three-dot menu. This change clears space for a brand new “+” icon in the search bar, allowing users to add contacts easier when on the go.

    Additionally, interacting with contact details like email and labels now opens a convenient bottom sheet for options instead of the traditional sidebar accessed by the hamburger menu. This new approach offers a cleaner, more intuitive way to navigate your contacts.

    But perhaps the most noticeable change is the addition of a widget that will allow users to see text conversations from selected contacts directly on their home screen. When the feature is rolled out to your device, you will need to grant the Contacts app the necessary permission to fully display your messages, since they will now be more easily accessible to prying eyes.

    As with many Google updates, especially ones that are still being tested and have yet to be announced, the rollout schedule is very TBD. Usually, updates such as these are reserved for Pixel feature drops. If all goes well and no significant bugs are found while testing, it is possible that we could see this roll out around April, but that is just some good old speculation on our part.

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  • TikTok starts to rub out Universal Music Group content, no new deal has been reached

    TikTok starts to rub out Universal Music Group content, no new deal has been reached

    TikTok starts to remove Universal Music Publishing Group content from the pest-like short video app, as no new licensing agreement with the music label has been reached, the social media firm said.

    TikTok has also started to mute videos on its platform that feature songs written by any songwriter signed on to UMPG (Universal Music Publishing Group), after removing the songs from Universal Music Group (UMG), as the licensing deal expired on January 31.

    The report cites a person familiar with the matter, who says TikTok is likely to remove “all the UMPG content before the end of February”, considering the legality of the matter. TikTok, however, has reached out to UMG and is still open to negotiate a new deal, the source added.

    Back in the end of January 2024, Universal Music Group stated that it couldn’t reach new deal terms with TikTok. The disagreements were mainly about how artists are paid and how TikTok uses AI. Universal Music accused TikTok of trying to push for a deal that was less favorable than before.

    UMG is the parent company of UMPG that represents an expansive roster of artists such as Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Sting, The Weeknd, Alicia Keys, Steve Lacy, Drake, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Rosalía, Harry Styles, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Adele, U2, Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Coldplay, Pearl Jam, and Bob Dylan. Although I can’t recall any TikTok videos with Bob Dylan…

    The music label had reached a deal with TikTok in February 2021, which allowed users on the video app to add clips from UMG’s catalog to their videos.

    UMG, the world’s largest music company, had said TikTok accounts for only about 1% of its total revenue.
    TikTok said UMG and UMPG catalog represents around 20% to 30% of popular songs, that vary depending on the region